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Friday, September 29, 2017

By far, the top story in state government this month was Hurricane Irma, which made landfall in the Florida Keys on Sunday, September 10, as a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds. By all accounts (here’s one), its wind speed and evacuations were orders of magnitude worse than some of the biggest hurricanes in recent decades.

As one who experienced it first-hand, I think Gov. Rick Scott deserves praise for his decisive leadership and the state’s overall response before, during and after the event.

I’ll begin this post with a review of the Governor’s actions related to the hurricane. Then I’ll share some top stories, editorials, and commentaries.

Gov. Scott’s leadership during Hurricane Irma

On Monday, September 4, Gov. Scott declared a state of emergency for all 67 Florida counties.

The next day, he asked President Trump to declare a “pre-landfall emergency” for the state to “provide important resources and assistance from the federal government” and “free up funding sources for emergency protective measures such as shoring up beach dunes, building emergency berms and planning for potential evacuations.”

He also activated the National Guard to assist with Irma preparedness, directed the suspension of tolls across the state to speed up evacuation, and ordered state offices to be closed Friday, encouraging state employees to volunteer to support the state’s emergency shelter mobilization efforts. He also began issuing daily Irma updates. In a news conference in North Naples, he urged Floridians to “prepare for the worst.”

On Thursday, September 7, he ordered all public schools, state colleges and universities, and state offices to close from Friday through Monday, “to ensure we have every space available for sheltering and staging.” He also announced actions being taken to get more fuel to gas stations, and activated the state’s Disaster Fund to support individuals impacted by the Hurricane.

With the storm track making it clear that Florida’s west coast was in the line of the storm, on Friday, September 8, he urged those in evacuation zones along coastal counties from Manatee to Collier to be prepared to locate to the closest available shelter within their counties if they did not evacuate by noon the next day. I remember it well. The evacuation zone was extended as far east as Airport-Pulling Road in some areas!

On September 10, as Irma made landfall in the Lower Keys, Scott asked President Trump for and received, a Major Disaster Declaration for every county in Florida. This authorized federal funding to flow directly to Floridians impacted by Hurricane Irma, including families in Collier County. It also authorized federal reimbursement to local communities and the state government for emergency protective measures and debris removal.

Scott also publicly shared the “incredible outpouring of support” that had been deployed to Florida from twenty-eight states and Washington D.C. to aid in the response and recovery.

The Governor’s leadership continued as recovery began. On September 18, he directed every county impacted by Irma to “aggressively prioritize debris clean-up, and on the 19th, he directed VISIT FLORIDA to “launch an aggressive new marketing campaign to highlight Florida following Hurricane Irma.”

On September 20, Scott announced that the state was awarded “federal Dislocated Worker Grants to provide temporary employment to Floridians affected” by the hurricane. On the 25th, he activated 400 National Guard members to help with residential debris removal in Monroe County and directed the Florida Dept of Emergency Management to expedite delivery of tarps for patching roofs.

While the Governor’s leadership was commendable, the hurricane made apparent several issues that our state government must address in the months ahead. And there was some non-Irma related state news this month, as well. Here are some articles of note:

Top stories - Irma

Widespread shelter problems during Irma raise questions about Florida’s readiness. A 2016 Division of Emergency Management report said Florida has safe emergency shelter capacity for about 960,000 evacuees. At least 5.6 million Floridians were ordered to evacuate during Irma, though only 5 percent to 10 percent of evacuees typically go to public shelters. Tampa Bay Times

Florida’s bridges vulnerable to damage from hurricanes. Although Florida has one of the best inspection records in the country, thousands of bridges, some of them crucial arteries, are still considered vulnerable to a strong hurricane’s storm surge and winds. Naples Daily News

Eight Dead From Sweltering Nursing Home as Florida Struggles After Irma. Florida requires nursing homes to ensure emergency power in a disaster as well as food, water, staffing and 72 hours of supplies. NYTimes

Related: Nursing Home Deaths Prompt New Rules by Florida Governor.NYTimes

Gwen Graham accurately says Florida’s coastal and stormwater infrastructure not prepared for climate change. The Democratic candidate for governor is citing a report card given out by the oldest engineering society in the country. Politifact Florida

Rick Scott’s hurricane response boosts potential Senate run. His preparedness has impressed Republicans and some Democrats, all of whom have long expected Scott to challenge incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson next year. The Hill

Top stories - other news

Repeal of Florida’s tax on services reverberates, 30 years later. Florida won’t collect enough tax revenue over the next three years to pay its mounting bills – especially for Medicaid, which now consumes nearly one-third of the state’s budget. The future could mean cuts to schools, hospitals and treatment programs, fewer state workers, and higher fees for services. Tampa Bay Times

Education leaders seek $21.4 billion for schools next year. The Florida Board of Education approved a 2018–19 budget request that includes a $200 per-student boost in the K–12 system, increased funding for the 28 state colleges and construction money for public schools, colleges, and universities. Orlando Sentinel

Deadline for public to submit amendments to state Constitution extended to Oct. 6. The deadline was extended because commissioners wanted to give more time after Hurricane Irma blew through the state. Miami Herald

Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection seeks $50 million to revive Florida Forever conservation program. Its 2018–19 budget proposals also include $50 million for programs to improve water quality and drinking water quantity, and $50 million to support state parks. Gov. Scott will propose his 2018–19 budget later this year, with the 60-day regular session beginning in January. Orlando Sentinel

Gov. Scott calls for $50 million and new legislation to fight opioid abuse. The proposal, which includes a three-day limit on initial prescriptions for opioids, will be one of his top priorities in the upcoming legislative session. Sun Sentinel

Army Corps of Engineers will commit to, expedite Lake Okeechobee southern reservoir, after twice asking for more time to commit. Before it can break ground on the reservoir, it has to complete a study, which was originally planned to launch in 2020. TCPalm

Lee County approves deal to buy Edison Farms conservation land, whose water retention capacity benefits the entire region in times of flooding. The nearly 4,000 acres will be preserved, after decades in which scenarios for its future included an interstate interchange, being drained for development of 3,000 or more housing units, a spring training baseball park, or the route for a new north-south thoroughfare through Lee County. News-Press

Nonprofit group files records request for info about Florida online voter registration. With this month’s implementation deadline, the group wants to make sure the online voter registration system will handle the flurry of registration that can happen before an election deadline. Tampa Bay Times

Bonuses based on teacher test scores violate civil rights, lawsuit alleges. Seven teachers from South Florida are joining the Florida Education Association in suing the state over its Best and Brightest teacher bonus program, which ties bonuses to teachers’ college entrance exam scores. Tampa Bay Times

Top editorials and commentaries

Editorial: State lawmakers must act to protect vulnerable residents from natural disasters. As we’ve learned in the aftermath of Irma, there are serious shortcomings in what the state requires of nursing homes and senior-living facilities. Treasure Coast Newspapers via Naples Daily News

Commentary: Post-Irma, conservation agenda more vital than ever. Collier County commissioners [should] revive the Conservation Collier program and move forward with a Conservation Collier-specific referendum for the public to approve in fall 2018. In addition, our local elected state representatives should take a leadership role in implementing Amendment 1. By Rob Moher, President and CEO - Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Naples Daily News

Commentary: Stop exploitation of insurance system where it starts. When a major storm hits our state, many distressed homeowners will turn over their insurance policy benefits to a lawyer, roofer or contractor who offers the hope of a better settlement. Sens. Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples) and Dorothy Hukill (R-Port Orange) have co-sponsored a bill that … limits the ability of attorneys and contractors to squeeze the most dollars out of a claim solely for their benefit. By Jason Wolf, partner - Koch Parafinczuk Wolf Susen, Fort Lauderdale, Sun Sentinel

Stay tuned for my next post, where I’ll report on September’s local Irma-related efforts and other top local government and school district news.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Should our school taxes go up or down next year? Should the District increase or decrease its spending on capital projects? On operations? These are among other matters our elected School Board members will decide Tuesday, so you have between now and then to have your say.

Some basics
School taxes are a function of the value of the properties subject to tax and a millage rate, which is a tax rate per $1,000 of assessed property value. The County Property Appraiser’s Office determines the assessed property values. The School Board decides the millage rate.

Local property taxes are just one source of a District’s funding. It also receives funds from the state and federal governments and a few non-governmental sources. A District has available to spend not only funds received in the current year but also funds it set aside as reserves in prior years.

At its first FY18 budget meeting in July...
At its first budget meeting on July 25 after hearing from five public speakers, the Board approved tentative 2017–18 millage rates and a tentative 2017–18 budget.

To begin, Superintendent Kamela Patton recommended millage rates that with the Property Appraiser’s estimate of property values would have yielded $437.6 million.

Board Vice Chair Erika Donalds then proposed reducing the Superintendent’s recommended millage for capital improvements, ultimately by 0.0200 mills, which would reduce taxes by $1.7 million. After discussion, the motion passed three to two, with Board members Stephanie Lucarelli and Erick Carter voting no.

The approved tentative millage rate of $5.1220 per $1,000 of assessed property value is 2.3 percent lower than last year’s $5.2450 per $1,000, as shown below.

Even though the rate is lower, because property values have increased it would yield $20.3 million more tax dollars, as shown below.

The state’s Truth in Millage (TRIM) law requires comparing the taxes that would be raised with the proposed millage rate to what would be raised with what it calls a "rolled-back rate." The “rolled-back rate” is the millage rate that would have produced the same amount of tax dollars as the previous year, excluding new construction taxable values. Taxes raised with the proposed rate would be 2.02% higher than with the “rolled-back rate.”

At the July meeting, the Superintendent also recommended a tentative budget for the next school year of $1.051 billion, an increase of 7.6 percent over last year’s budget, based on a projected 46,529 students, up 1.5 percent from last year. That request was approved by a vote of four to one, with Board member Kelly Lichter the sole dissenter.

For approval Tuesday...
At the District’s final budget hearing/meeting Tuesday, the Superintendent will ask the Board to approve as final the previously-approved tentative rates totaling 5.1220 mills.

She will also ask them to approve as final a $1.054 billion budget. This amount is slightly more than the tentative budget they approved in July and 8 percent higher than last year, as shown below.

I assume but look forward to confirming on Tuesday that the recommended budget provides for costs associated with Hurricane Irma cleanup and repair. According to the Naples Daily News, Superintendent Patton said damage to schools was "minor, citing leaking roofs and missing tiles.... Twenty-seven district schools were used to shelter 17,000 people during and after the hurricane. In a Sept. 14 interview, Patton said she plans to submit expenses to FEMA and apply for county grants."

How will the proposed millage rates impact the taxpayer?
According to the District's draft budget presentation, a hypothetical taxpayer eligible for Florida’s Homestead Exemption whose property had an assessed value last year of $400,000 would have FY18 taxes of $1,964, a decrease of $3 (0.2%) compared to her prior year taxes.

If that taxpayer was not eligible for the Homestead Exemption, FY18 taxes on the same property would be $2,098, an increase $104 (5.0%).

Conclusion
In this post, I tried to clearly and concisely summarize what I, who wants to be an informed voter, thought was important to know in advance of Tuesday's budget meeting. I did not dig into the detailed budget and spending projections because I have confidence in Superintendent Patton and her team, and I have no interest in micro-managing or second-guessing them. For those who want more detail, it is available here.

In my opinion, given the impressive new academic offerings the District has and continues to introduce, the ongoing improvement in test scores, graduation rates, and school and district grades, the difficulty in attracting and retaining teachers, the continuing unfunded mandates from the state, and the projected increase in the number of students, the minimal proposed increase in the millage rate over the rolled-back rate is completely acceptable to me.

Let your voice be heard
The special School Board meeting to vote on the proposed final millage rates and budget is Tuesday, September 26, at 5:30 PM at the Dr. Martin Luther King Administrative Center, 5775 Osceola Center, Naples, FL.

Constitutional Challenge of HB 7069 - The General Counsel will review and discuss the claims and arguments that are anticipated to be alleged and advanced in the complaint to be filed by districts supporting challenging HB 7069 constitutionally.

Sunday, September 3, 2017

Local news in August was again dominated by our elected officials’ efforts to plan for growth, prop up aging infrastructure, and address the need for affordable housing and satisfy the desire to set aside conservation lands.

This month, decisions will be made when the County, City and School Board finalize their FY 2017–18 budgets. Let your voice be heard before they do. This Month in Review identifies some of the issues they will address. See the end of this post for budget hearing meeting dates and how to contact your representatives.

Also in August, Collier County Public Schools reopened after the summer break, and two candidates filed to run for School Board from District 3.

’Cost burden’ drives larger demand for affordable housing. 40 percent of all Collier County households were spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing. A stakeholders group will present recommendations on how to spur more affordable housing development to county commissioners in September.

Collier County’s two largest fire districts to discuss possible merger. If approved, the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District and the North Collier Fire Control and Rescue District would begin studying the costs and benefits, whether the new district would operate under one tax rate, and eventually, when to ask voters in a referendum to push the merger forward.

Collier animal shelter wants air conditioning. The Domestic Animal Services department has asked commissioners for up to $500,000 for air conditioning for the dogs in its care, after receiving complaints and requests from volunteers who work in the kennels.

Editorial: Questioning why impact fees are being questioned.We applaud County Commissioner Bill McDaniel for exploring alternatives, but are withholding judgment until we see if his idea requires additional collection staff, appreciably reduces the cost of new homes and can be applied beyond the Immokalee pilot area.

Collier debuts elementary Cambridge Programs. On the first day of school, some students already had homework due. Each grade level had its own book for students to read over the summer, and identify traits within a character in the book which fit the program’s learner attributes. Naples Herald

Editorial: A year tough to top for Collier schools. Last year, the district reclaimed its A grade from the state with many schools improving their standing. The academic performance of 2016–17 creates a high bar for the incoming year’s student body and district staff to surpass. There is room to improve, and there are challenges to be met.

Editorial: School Board reached reasonable compromise in initially adopting a tax rate for next budget year that invests in the future while giving a break to businesses and others who don’t benefit from a homestead exemption. Beyond just the dollars and sense in the decision was an important message that compromise is possible for this Board.

Take a few minutes and share your thoughts with your representatives before they decide how to spend your tax dollars. Reach your County Commissioners here, Naples City Council members here, and Collier School Board members here.